Sometimes Asparagus Is More Than Asparagus

Helen Yoest at her Raleigh, N.C., home.CreditJeremy M. Lange for The New York Times

Helen Yoest didn’t set out, as she said recently, to write a horticultural Kama Sutra. It was sort of an accident. Ms. Yoest, a garden writer, was researching an article on avocados when she learned that the fruit was considered an aphrodisiac. What makes it so, she wondered: The nutrients? The shape? Bingo. Turns out their reputation dates to the Aztecs, who marveled at how avocados grew in pairs, and named the plant “the testicle tree.”

“I was fascinated to learn that during the harvest, the ancient Aztecs would lock up their virgin daughters,” Ms. Yoest said. “That’s a very powerful image.”

So began her exploration of what she calls “plants with benefits,” or plants that have aphrodisiac qualities. Some, like the avocado, derive their oomph from their suggestive shape. Ditto the banana, the fig, the papaya and so on. Others affect brain chemistry, increase blood flow to the nether regions or mimic human hormones. Some, like the pomegranate, are also super-foods, so-called because of their powerful nutritional content. The results of going down this diverting rabbit hole are collected in “Plants With Benefits: An Uninhibited Guide to the Aphrodisiac Herbs, Fruits, Flowers and Veggies in Your Garden,” out this week from St. Lynn’s Press.

Q. I was amused that you quoted Virgil on arugula (“the rocket excites the sexual desire of drowsy people”) since I eat the stuff every day. And I was most surprised to learn of boring old celery’s properties as an erection-enhancer and pheromone-jogger. What were you most surprised by?

A. I would have to say something like the studies on lavender or almonds. Honestly, if I smell almonds it’s like, “Wow, what’s happening?” What makes something become an aphrodisiac? The main thing is if its shape is suggestive — if it looks like a duck and acts like a duck. We didn’t invent sophomoric jokes about bananas and figs. We’re just carrying the torch.

The other thing that surprised me was the plants that mimic human hormones. Of course, we don’t know how much you have to eat of say, coriander, to get the boing factor. The F.D.A. hasn’t weighed in.

Can we talk about the lavender studies? You cite a study in which men were exposed to various food aromas and then their level of sexual arousal was recorded by measuring the blood flow to their genitals. The scent of lavender increased blood flow by 40 percent, as compared to cheese pizza, which increased it by only 5 percent. Um, pizza? Do you recall what other aromas were tested?

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“Plants With Benefits,” is due out this week.CreditJames Nieves/The New York Times

The other biggie was pumpkin pie. And licorice, specifically Good & Plenty. It just drove men wild.

Which plant is the best aphrodisiac for women?

Almonds. It’s not just the scent. Almonds contain amino acids, which are known to increase arousal.

And for men?

After licorice, garlic is another really interesting one. It has a long reputation for increasing sexual drive. In India, ancient laws forbade Brahmins from eating garlic. Today, Tibetan monks are forbidden to eat it because of its arousal properties. Which I think is just really unfair. They can’t have sex or garlic.

Which plant should require a prescription?

After licorice, I’d say nutmeg, which in large quantities is a hallucinogenic.

You say your ideal pre-sex meal is Champagne, almond soup, quinoa salad and chocolate. What about a meal made with only the plants you’re able to grow: what might that consist of?

I live in Raleigh, N.C., which is Zone 7. Certainly asparagus. That’s another one with a suggestive visual. As are carrots. Basil is aromatherapy. In ancient times, women would rub dried basil on their bodies to make themselves more sexually attractive.

I can grow figs. I might make a celery soup, or something with arugula. Definitely fennel, which comes at you from every direction: it has pheromones, phytoestrogens and an estrogen-like substance called estragole. It’s been tested on rats for its libido-enhancing properties.

Cucumbers: Those are a good, all-around healthy food. You know how the Viagra ads say you should be in good health for sex? Cucumbers are rich in potassium, which helps with hypertension, which helps with erectile dysfunction. Studies have shown the scent of cucumbers really increases arousal in women. Whereas men were just fine with Good & Plenty.